Travis Delph, Dale Jennings Lead Butler To A 43-29 Win Over UW-Stevens Point

Senior quarterback Travis Delph passed for more than 400 yards and four touchdowns and senior tailback Dale Jennings scored four times to lead Butler to a 43-29 victory over visiting UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, Sept. 21. The non-conference contest at the Butler Bowl left both teams with a 2-1 record on the season.

Delph and Jennings gave a Homecoming crowd of 6,871 plenty to cheer about in the game's opening moments. On the third play of the contest, the speedy Jennings broke free up the middle and raced 77 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest run of his Butler career, but he wasn't through.

On Butler's second possession, Jennings took a pass from Delph and raced 77 yards for another TD. The two Butler scoring drives both lasted three plays and both took just 1:03 off the clock.

The Bulldogs took a 14-9 lead to the locker room at halftime and then unleashed Jennings and Delph again in the third quarter. Jennings capped off a 10-play, 55-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run to open the third period and then added another touchdown on a 72-yard pass from Delph. Wide receiver Bob Leonard closed the quarter with a 26-yard strike from Delph and the Bulldogs held a comfortable 36-15 lead.

That comfort level didn't last long. The Pointers, ranked seventh in the NCAA Division III, scored two touchdowns in the first four minutes of the final period and closed within seven points of the Bulldogs. But Delph answered by leading Butler on a nine-play, 74-yard drive. He capped the march with a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Scott Reddel. It was the first career touchdown catch for Reddel.

UW-Stevens Point made one last run at the Bulldogs, but senior free safety Russ Mann ended the Pointers' drive with a pass interception in the end zone with just over three minutes remaining in the contest. Butler finished the game with 525 yards in total offense.

Jennings rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns and added 153 yards and two more touchdowns on five pass receptions in the game. He also had one kickoff return for 17 yards and finished with 292 all-purpose yards! Delph threw for a career-best 419 yards and became just the second player in Butler history to pass for over 400 yards in a game.

Junior Parker Smith led Butler's defense with a career-high 11 tackles, including one quarterback sack. Junior Justin Harris had his first career pass interception in the game, while Mann added three pass breakups to his theft.